Download SAC Worksheet - Story, storey, istor

Structured Academic Controversy:
Athenian Democracy
SAC QUESTION: Was ancient Athens truly democratic?
Team 1 will argue: Athens WAS truly democratic.
Team 2 will argue: Athens WAS NOT truly democratic.
PROCEDURE
30 minutes With your teammate…
 READ the documents in the document set. DISCUSS
THE GUIDING QUESTIONS. These will help you create
an argument.
 TOGETHER, create an ARGUMENT and find THREE
pieces of evidence (quotations) that support your side.
Both of you write these down on your graphic organizer.
10 minutes Next…
 Team 1 presents. BOTH PARTNERS MUST
PRESENT!!!
 Team 2 writes down Team 1’s evidence and then
repeats it back to Team 1.
10 minutes Then…
 Team 2 presents. BOTH PARTNERS MUST
PRESENT!!!
 Team 1 writes down Team 2’s evidence and then
repeats it back to Team 2.
10 minutes Finally…
 Everyone CAN ABANDON their positions.
 Group attempts to reach a CONSENSUS. Was ancient
Athens truly democratic? What can the group AGREE on?
 EACH GROUP MEMBER WRITES THEIR OWN VERSION
OF THE CONSENSUS!
The Athenian Constitution (Document A)
Source: The following excerpt comes from “The Athenian
Constitution,” written by the Greek philosopher Aristotle between
330 and 322 BC. Aristotle was the leading Greek philosopher of
the time, and is credited with writing accounts of the constitutions
of 170 different Greek states.
At the time that we are speaking, the people have secured their
control of the state and established the constitution which exists at
the present day. The democracy has made itself master of
everything and administers everything by its votes in the Assembly
and by the law-courts.
The right to vote and participate is open to all men who are of
citizen birth by both parents. They are enrolled (registered) as
citizens at the age of eighteen. On the occasion of the enrollment
(registering) of new citizens, the current citizens give their votes
first on whether the new candidates appear to be of the age set by
the law. If the candidates are not of the right age, they are
dismissed back into the ranks of the boys. Secondly, the current
citizens give their votes on whether the candidate is free born (not
born to a slave parent), and has two citizen parents as the laws
require. If they decide that he is not a free man, he can appeal to
the law-courts. If the court decides that he has no right to be
enrolled as a citizen, he is sold by the state (Athens) as a slave.
However if he wins his case he has the right to be enrolled as a
citizen without further question.
All the magistrates (government officials) that are responsible for
the ordinary routine of administration are elected by lot (random
lottery) in the Assembly. However, the Military Treasurer, the
Commissioners of the Festival Fund, and the Superintendent of the
Water Supply are elected by vote. All military officers are also
elected by vote.
The Athenian Population (Document B)
Source: The data below comes from the book “Wealthy Hellas,”
written by Professor Josiah Ober in 2010. Ober is a professor of
Classical Civilization and Political Science at Stanford University.
Population
Group
Citizen men
Citizen
women
Children of
citizens
Metics
Slaves
Total Number
of people
29,900
29,900
Total Population:
Percentage of
the population
12%
12%
Ability to vote
Yes
No
74,750
31%
No
25,775
80,000
11%
34%
No
No
Percentage of Total
240,235 Population Able to
Vote:
12%
*Metics were foreigners or Greeks from other city-states that settled in
Athens, normally for purposes of trade. They became a key part of the citystate’s economy, industry, and education system.
Pericles’ Funeral Oration (Document C)
Source: The following excerpt is from a speech known as ‘The
Funeral Oration” given by the Athenian general and politician
Pericles in 431 BC. Pericles was widely seen as the leader of
Athens. He gave this speech during a funeral for Athenian soldiers
that died in the first year of the brutal Peloponnesian War against
Sparta, Athens’ chief rival.
"Our constitution favors the many instead of the few. This is why it
is called a democracy. If we look to the laws, they afford (give)
equal justice to all people. Advancement in public life falls to
one’s reputation for good work. Social class (whether someone is
rich or poor) is not allowed to interfere with someone’s merit
(talent, quality skills), and poverty does not block the way. If a
man is able to serve the state, he is not stopped by the obscurity
(insignificance) of his social class.
The freedom which we enjoy in our government extends also to
our ordinary life. There, far from being jealous of each other, we
do not feel called upon to be angry with our neighbor for doing
what he likes, or even to indulge (participate) in something
offensive. Yet all this ease and casual freedom in our private lives
does not make us lawless as citizens. Rather, we are taught to obey
the magistrates (government officials) and the laws, whether they
are actually written in the constitution, or belong to that unwritten
code that still cannot be broken without acknowledged disgrace.”
Professor Paul Cartledge (Document D)
Source: Professor Paul Cartledge, ‘The Democratic Experiment,’
published by BBC News on February 17, 2011.He is Professor of
Greek History at the University of Cambridge, and was the chief
historical consultant for the BBC TV series ‘The Greeks.’
“The ancient Greek word demokratia meant literally 'peoplepower'. But who were the people that the power actually belonged
to? Was it all the people? Or only some of the people - the
qualified citizens?
The most educated modern guess puts the total population of fifthcentury Athens at around 250,000. Of those 250,000, some 30,000
on average were full citizens - the adult males of Athenian birth
and full status. Of those 30,000 perhaps 5,000 might regularly
attend one or more meetings of the popular Assembly.
Only adult male citizens could apply for the privileges and duties
of democratic government, and a citizenship birth requirement of
double descent from both an Athenian mother as well as father was
strictly insisted upon. Women, even Athenian women, were totally
excluded - this was a men's club. Foreigners, especially unfree
slave foreigners, were excluded formally and rigorously (strictly).
The citizen body was a closed (locked, blocked off) political elite.”
Lead Tokens (Document E)
Source: The image below is of lead tokens from Athens in the 4th
century BC. These small tokens were turned in for pay, allowing
for poor citizens to participate in the Athenian Citizens’ Assembly
without losing a day’s pay. This ensured that all citizens, even
those of the poorest class, could participate in political life.
Ostracism (Document F)
Source: The image below is of Ostraka fragments from 5th century
BC Athens. The Ostraka were used by Athenian citizens to vote in
a political procedure known as Ostracism. Ostracism was an
official vote held each year to exile a certain Athenian citizen from
the city for ten years. At least 6,000 Athenian citizens voted during
the Ostracism, and the citizen whose name appeared on the most
Ostraka was exiled. Though originally intended to protect against
tyranny, Ostracism was most frequently used as a political weapon
against Athenian politicians who had become too popular with the
people. This way, politicians could remove their chief rivals. Many
of Athens’ greatest leaders were either exiled through the
Ostracism or nearly exiled in very close votes.
Name:__________________
Was ancient Athens truly democratic?
My Team’s Argument:
We believe ancient Athens WAS/WAS NOT truly democratic because…..
My Side: Evidence that Supports my Argument
Evidence 1:
Evidence 2:
Evidence 3:
The Other Side: Evidence that Supports the Counter Argument
Evidence 1:
Evidence 2:
Evidence 3:
Consensus:
After discussing the evidence, my group believes ancient Athens
WAS/WAS NOT truly democratic because……
Discussion Questions
Document A (Athenian Constitution)
1. According to the Athenian Constitution, who has the right to vote in Athens?
2. How does someone become “enrolled” as a citizen in Athens? Explain
3. How are magistrates and other government officials chosen in Athens?
Document B (Athenian Population)
1. Which groups of Athenians were able to vote? Which groups were not able to
vote?
2. What percentage of Athens’ total population was able to vote? Do you think
Athens was truly democratic based on this?
Document C (Pericles)
1. Who is Pericles? Why is he giving this speech?
2. How does Pericles describe the Athenian government? What are some of he
words and phrases that he uses?
Document D (Professor Paul Cartledge)
1. Who created this document? What kind of source is it? Do you think it is
reliable?
2. Does the author seem to believe Athens was truly democratic? Why or why
not? List TWO reasons the author gives.
Document E (Lead Tokens)
1. What were these lead tokens used for? Why might this be important in a
democracy?
Document F (Ostracism)
1. What were Ostraka used for? Explain the political procedure
2. Do you think Ostracism is helpful or harmful to democracy? Explain.